


Operation

by Ima_Paris_Sight



Series: Kids on the Move [1]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Dark Comedy, Kid Fic, M/M, bird facts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21700873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ima_Paris_Sight/pseuds/Ima_Paris_Sight
Summary: Ozzie and Eddie play with a dead body
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Series: Kids on the Move [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566484
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	Operation

“Did you know? The human skull consists of only five major bones. But avian skulls are comprised of small, non-overlapping bones.”

The tall brunette nine-year-old thrusts his scalpel into the thoracic vertebrae. His best friend found the creature on the side of the road, bleeding internally when he decided to end its suffering by crushing its head with a rock. The twelve-year-old wrapped the bird in old homework papers and placed it in his backpack, carrying him over.

“I know this bird was a migratory songbird, Eddie. Bird facts, not anatomy.”

Eddie frowns. “If you don’t know anatomy, then why are”

He stops when his older, yet shorter, blonde friend holds up a hand.

“Specifics.” He sighs. “I know the anatomy. I don’t know every detail.”

“I know bird facts, too, Ozzie.”

“Do tell.”

Ozzie carefully peels back a layer of epidermis along the metacarpus. Eddie carefully separates the toes, momentarily astonished by the occurrence of syndactyly.

“The _turdus migratorious_ ,” He speaks the Latin name with a pompous air of superiority, grinning when Ozzie loudly rolls his eyes. “Often flock to fermented berries.”

“They purposely get drunk.” Ozzie deadpans. “Fascinating.”

“They have a sweet tooth too!” Eddie gleefully adds, collecting Oswald’s sample of the bird’s proventriculus in a Petrie dish.

Ozzie smiles genuinely, the kind that only his mom and Eddie ever see. He turns his attention to the bird’s asymmetrical testes. As he digs a clean scalpel into the left side, he starts up again.

“Despite the ‘eagle eye’ saying, _American_ _robins_ ,” He pauses as Eddie pouts at his friend for trimming down Latin again. “Have exceptional eyesight. Even when they’re eating those alcoholic berries in the nest, they can spot those tiny disturbances in the soil, showing them where their next meal is moving.”

Eddie widens at the new information delivered by his excited friend. “Incredible.”

Ozzie nods, setting down his tools. The boys have autopsied the bird and sit against the table to write down their findings in separate notebooks. After about ten minutes, the boys compare notes and set aside the books. Ozzie collects a shoebox and cotton fluff, while Eddie grabs a shovel. They walk through the backyard and into a hidden patch of backwoods littered with refilled holes. Eddie digs the hole, and Oswald kisses the box before placing it into the hole.

“Why do you do that every time we play Operation?” Eddie asks, filling the hole.

“Il bacio della morte.” Ozzie responds in Italian.

“The kiss of death?” Eddie repeats in English, falling into step with him back to the house. “You’re not a mafioso boss.”

“Not yet.” He clicks his tongue. “But I’m going to be in the crim family when I grow up. We both are. And when someone screws us over, they’ll get an operation.”

“And the kiss of death.” Eddie grins, opening the front door.

“And the kiss of death,” Ozzie affirms, switching on the radio before moving to the kitchen.

Neither boy pays much attention to the commercials playing. When Ozzie grabs the smooth peanut butter off the shelf, Bobby Day’s _Rockin’ Robin_ starts playing. The boys share a look and burst out laughing.


End file.
